Mother Struck, Killed While Seeing Child Off To School

MONROE (WWJ) – Police say a teen sitting on a school bus was watching as her mother was struck and killed by a teenage driver in Monroe County.

Shelly Marie Deaton, 42, was standing on the side of the road Friday morning, waving goodbye to her daughter who had just boarded the bus when the unthinkable happened.

“Another young lady and her sister were on their way to school. They went off the shoulder of the road, through the driveway, hitting the mother who was watching her child get on the bus,” Michigan State Police Sergeant Mike Green told WWJ’s Kathryn Larson.

Green said Deaton was killed instantly, but the car didn’t stop until it slammed into a nearby tree.

Green said it’s believed distracted driving played a role in the accident. “I think what happened is … there’s some speculation from witnessed at the scene that were told that a water bottle had fallen on the floorboard of the car and they were trying to retrieve it,” Green said.

It happened at around 6:15 a.m. on

The girls in the car walked away unhurt.

Green said charged are pending against the driver. An investigation is ongoing.